


April Lady

by newsoftheworld



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: based on Smile's cover of "April Lady", basically april is his teacher, bless his heart, but he loves his teacher, but still cute, each part is dedicated to a verse of the song, he's already a little astronomer, he's shy, just a chubby-cheeked five year old aw, just beginning primary school, just some cute ramblings, might be a lil sad at the end, young brian may
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-11-16 06:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18088991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newsoftheworld/pseuds/newsoftheworld
Summary: based on Smile's cover of "April Lady"Brian's anxious about beginning primary school, but his teacher might be just the thing to help him come out of his shell. But is she here to stay?





	1. Chapter 1

_She won our hearts, the art she loved_

_Is painting pictures for free_

_When she was done, she hung them up_

_For all the children to see_

 

***

 

Primary school was terrifying––of that Brian May could be certain. Clutching his mother’s hand in his tiny fist, he shyly looked around at his surroundings. Chalkboards and picture frames covered the four walls of the classroom and small tables littered the room. Excited chattering and the occasional screech filled the air, but he couldn’t bring himself to share the sentiment. He could be at home right now, looking at comic books or playing with his cat, Squeaky… He’d never seen so many kids in one place before.

“Come now, Bri, let’s meet your teacher then, shall we?” Gentle coaxing did little to make him feel better. Reluctantly dragging his feet behind her, he allowed his mother to pull him across the room. Muffled protests spilled from his mouth as he pressed his face into his mother’s skirt––why couldn’t they just go home?

“Hello there. You must be Brian.” A warm, cheery voice pried him from hiding and he noticed a woman stooped toward him, offering a gentle smile. Timid hazel eyes gazed up at her, examining her face. Soft brown waves stopped at her shoulders, blue eyes glinting with kindness. She seemed like she could be trusted. Giving her a small nod, Brian kept his grip on his mother’s skirt. He felt his mother’s hand reassuringly smooth his hair back and he was grateful for the physical comfort.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Miss April.” Another wide grin. Brian bashfully mirrored her expression, slowly warming under her sunny disposition. “I’m excited to be your teacher this year. First year can be tough, I know, but we’ll get through it together, you and I. How does that sound?”

Unable to find his voice, Brian just nodded again, blushing as the lady chuckled. His mother rubbed his back reassuringly.

“You can come with me, if you’d like. There’s a group in the corner just getting started on some fun activities.” He followed her outstretched finger to a table across the room––boys and girls spilled out of their seats, excitedly scribbling on sheets of papers with a multitude of colored crayons.

“Go on. I’ll be back soon enough to pick you up.” Brian’s mother bent down to press a kiss to his forehead before softly caressing his cheek. “You’re going to love it.”

As he watched his mother walk out the door, Brian wondered how she could be so sure.

 

***

 

“Ritchie, we need to share, remember?”

Brow furrowed, Brian sulked as the boy beside him snatched the blue crayon Brian had been saving from his grasp. He wanted to shout but his mother’s voice infiltrated his thoughts–– _“Little boys must hold their temper. It’s unbecoming to make a scene.”––_ so he kept silent.

“Brian was using that one first, you know. Maybe if you ask nicely, he’ll let you use it after him.” Miss April knelt between the two boys, eyebrows raised expectantly.

With a huff, the blonde-haired, beady-eyed little boy handed the crayon back. “Fine. Can I use it after you’ve finished?”

 _No._ That’s what he wanted to say. But instead, Brian nodded slowly. “Okay.”

Smiling, Miss April squeezed his shoulder. He blushed. “Thank you, Brian. That was very big of you.” She glanced down at his paper. “What is this that you’re drawing?”

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Brian wanted to shrink into his chair. Fumbling with his words, he tried to explain. “That’s me dad, and that’s, um, his telescope.”

“Wonderful! And are those the stars?”

Relieved that she was able to understand his drawing, he nodded vigorously. “Yes.”

“The sky is beautiful to draw, isn’t it? Oh, you’ve given me an idea!”

Intrigued, Brian watched as she reached for a blank sheet of paper and the box of crayons. The attention of all the students at the table was captured as she effortlessly began filling the white space with fantastic colors and shapes––a wonderfully vast sky, bright stars and planets twinkling in the distance. Brian didn’t think he’d ever seen someone make something so beautiful.

Setting the crayons down, Miss April drew back to inspect her work. “Well class, what do you think?” She held up her drawing with a grin. Scattered applause broke out amongst the boys and girls and Brian smiled, proud for being the inspiration of the masterpiece before them.

“You’re all too sweet. I think it’s only fair to hang our drawings up, don’t you think? You’ve all done beautifully.” Collecting the colorful papers from the table, she began to pin them above the chalkboard. “Now we can all admire the work you’ve done. My, I didn’t realise I was in the presence of so many artists!”

Giggles erupted and Brian smiled. Maybe first year wouldn’t be so bad, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit longer but just as fluffy and cute <3  
> It's fun to imagine exactly what kind of kid Brian might have been, and my interpretation could be wayyyy off, but I like what I've come up with. He's adorable, he's shy, and he's eager to please. MY HEART. :')  
> Let me know if you agree or if you vehemently disagree haha
> 
> Enjoy!

_ Children learned to read, she strung their beads _

_ It’s sorry she was the one _

_ As you can see, isn’t she good _

_ She don’t leave nothing undone _

 

***

 

“Bri, dear, aren’t you forgetting something?”

Halting mid-bounce and turning back to look at his mother, her arms outstretched, Brian grinned. He’d almost left without bidding her farewell. Hopping happily into her embrace, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Goodbye, ma.” 

With an affectionate fluff of his hair, she nudged him forward. “Alright then, off you go.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. Catching sight of Tim, the boy he most admired and with whom he desperately wanted to become friends, Brian scampered off toward the schoolhouse entrance. “Hey, Tim!” Giving a shy wave, he was relieved to see Tim stop and wait for him to catch up. 

“Hello, Brian.” Time offered a friendly smile, shifting his satchel higher on his shoulder. “Say, how would you like to sit by me again today?”

Positively beaming, Brian nodded vigorously at the dark-haired boy. “Yes, I’d like that very much.” School had been in session for only a month and Brian felt immensely proud about the budding friendship he found so quickly in Tim. His mother was right––it wasn’t too difficult to make friends after all. 

Situating themselves in adjoining seats, Brian observed the classroom, abuzz with activity. Schoolmates filtered through the door, babbling about nothing in particular. Miss April stood at the door, gently ushering them to their seats. On the chalkboard at the front of the room looked to be a drawing of the solar system, and excitement lept in his chest. After spending days on end pouring over magazines and begging his parents to let him watch his favorite television program,  _ The Sky At Night _ , Brian felt well-versed in this area of study. Confidently sitting up straighter in his seat, he quietly gave his attention to Miss April at the front of the room, who was beginning to take attendance.

“Hey, do y’know what happened to me this weekend?” Brian felt someone poke his arm and glanced over to see Tim grinning proudly.

Brian thought that was a silly question. “No. What happened?”

“Me dad brought home a pup from the shelter! An English Setter, he says.” Tim was practically shouting, and Brian quietly wished he’d be more respectful of the teacher’s attempt to get the classroom in order.

“That’s neat. What do you call him?” 

“Bruno. Have you a dog? Or don’t you like them very much.”

“Brian?” Hearing his name, Brian looked up from their conversation to see Miss April scanning the room for him.

“Here!” His hand shot up, satisfied once her eyes landed on him. She gave him a kind smile before marking him down.

Beside him, Tim leaned his elbow on the table and kicked his legs out distractedly, jolting the table slightly with each movement. Brian wondered if it was always that hard for him to sit still. “Well? Do you?”

Blinking, Brian hastened to recall what he’d been asked. “Oh, no, I haven’t. But I do have a cat! Squeaky’s his name.”

Tim giggled. “That’s funny. I think cats are boring.”

Brow furrowing, Brian didn’t have time to conjure a proper retort before Miss April called the room to order. “Alright class, settle down now––I know you’re all bursting with energy and we’ll get to free time soon enough, but first we get to learn about this!” She gestured toward the drawing on the chalkboard with a grin. “Can anyone guess what this might be?”

Wasting no time, Brian stuck his little hand in the air confidently, the action drawing a snicker from Tim. A pale flush rose to his cheeks as each pair of eyes turned to rest on him. He didn’t anticipate having everyone’s attention on him.

With an encouraging smile, Miss April nodded at him. “Perfect. Brian, tell us what you think.”

Lowering his hand awkwardly, he squirmed in his seat a moment before mumbling self-consciously. “Th-the solar system?”

“Don’t be shy! You’re absolutely right.” A wave of relief washed over him at her words of affirmation. “The solar system is what we call the collection of planets that go around the sun.” Taking a piece of chalk in her hands, she began to draw circles around the sun. “In fact, what we see here is just a very zoomed-out picture of where we live. Our planet, Earth, is part of this system. Does anyone know which planet on this diagram is Earth?”

Silence. Another timid raise of his hand. Beside him, Tim yawned.

Miss April waited a moment before nodding at him once more. “Go on, Brian.”

“It’s the third planet from the sun, miss.”

“It seems we have our very own astrophysicist, class.” Her proud expression lit up Brian’s face, an adoring smile etched across his lips. “He’s absolutely right. We’re right here, just behind Mercury and Venus. Now, to get a better idea of the planets, I decided to bring some beads and string along with me today––how would you like to make solar system necklaces?”

Cheers broke out and Brian, heat finally beginning to cool on his face, felt greatly relieved not to be the subject of attention any longer.

 

***

 

Science seemed to come naturally to Brian––learning the names of stars and planets felt effortless. Reading? Not so much. 

“Tim, Brian––here you are. You get to read “The Fire Cat,” one of my personal favorites.” Miss April set the book down in front of them before whisking away to distribute books to the rest of the students. Eyeing the cover wearily, Brian could vaguely make out the word “cat.” Letting out a sigh, he frowned. 

“This is going to be easy.” Tim leaned over and opened the book, eagerly devouring the words. “Pickles. Is that the cat’s name? What a strange name for a cat.”

Brian laughed nervously, threading his fingers together under the table. He wondered how long he could pretend he knew what he was reading before Tim figured him out.

“‘Once upon a time, there was a yellow cat with black spots in his fur. His name was pickles.’ Ha! I was right.”

Nodding, Brian squinted at the page. The word ‘cat’ jumped out at him again, and he thought he might be able to make out the word ‘black’. Frustration consumed him and he frowned. Was he stupid? Did everyone in the room know how to read except him?

Turning the page, Tim continued. “Pickles was a y-yow… young! Young cat.” Glancing sideways at Brian, he slid the book closer to him. “Sorry, I’m keeping it all to myself. You can have a go.”

His worst fear. Biting his lip, Brian desperately sought for a way out. “Um… uh… His paws w-w…”

“Were.” Tim corrected him. Brian knew he was trying to be helpful, but Tim’s butting-in only frustrated him further. 

“Were. His paws were… big. And he…” He was thwarted by a monster of a word––it was long and Brian didn’t think he’d ever seen it before. A whimper rose in his throat. He wanted to shrink into his seat until he was smaller than a speck of dust.

“How are you two doing?” A cheery voice interrupted his anxious thoughts. He gazed up to see Miss April smiling down at him expectantly. Not wanting to let her down, he floundered for words.

Tim sat up eagerly. “I don’t think Brian knows how to read.” 

Brian brought his hands up to cover his face. Did Tim  _ have _ to rat him out? He screwed his eyes shut, willing the tears that were prickling at his eyes to go away.

“Hey, hey there.” Her voice was nearer now. “There’s no need to feel bad. Brian, look at me.”

Begrudgingly, he peeked through his fingers. Miss April was knelt before their table, concern written across her face. She seemed upset—was she upset at him?

“It’s perfectly normal to struggle with reading. Let me tell you a secret—I wasn’t able to read properly until I was seven years old. Seven!” She laughed and it reminded Brian of the bells his mother hung in the garden that rung daintily in the wind. He felt his fear begin to slowly melt away as she continued. “Some kids are just naturally quick to pick up reading, just like some kids are naturally good at learning the stars and the planets.” She gave him a wink and Brian couldn't help but blush.

Removing his hands from his face, he bashfully glanced down at the book. Maybe she was right. 

“How about I help you sound out some of these words? Tim, you wouldn't mind helping us, would you?” 

A vigorous nod from Tim. “I can do that!”

“Splendid. We’ll have you reading like an expert in no time.” With a gentle ruffle of Brian’s hair, she reached over to turn the pages back to the beginning.

Her words restored a sense of calm in him and Brian smiled. Adoration swelled in his little heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long, midterms sucked a lot out of me & I'm in a bit of a crossroads for what I'd like to begin writing after this. Lots of ideas, not enough execution!
> 
> There will be one more chapter to wrap up this mini-fic, I hope you're enjoying it so far! It's been surprisingly fun to attempt to portray what Brian may have been like as a six-year-old. I might be way off base, but I suppose that's the risk with any writing based on a real person, heh

_ She taught them all to love _

_ She was their cream _

_ And we don’t want her to go _

_ But we know too well _

_ She fell in love _

_ And there’s no stopping her so _

 

_ *** _

 

Despite how much he enjoyed his subjects, Brian’s favorite part of the school day was lunchtime. For one, discovering the treats his mother packed in his lunchbox was exciting. Watching his schoolmates run around and play blind man’s buff was also entertaining. Occasionally he’d join them, but the thought of being chosen as the blind man was terrifying––flailing around blindfolded sounded downright embarrassing, and Brian didn’t want to risk the possibility of making a fool of himself. But perhaps the part he enjoyed most about lunchtime was Miss April’s stories. 

“Oi Brimi, fancy playing with us today?”

Startled from his thoughts, Brian looked up from the coat rack. Tim and a couple other boys stood near the door, bundled in oversized coats and clutching lunchboxes, vibrating with energy.

“Um, that’s alright, you can go on without me.” Tim shrugged and gave a nod before turning to the other boys and leading the charge out the door. 

After finally feeling satisfied with his meticulous layering of clothes, Brian grabbed his lunchbox and waddled toward the door. Snow was coming down in a fine powder and he grinned––the white glow that cast the school yard really was quite beautiful. Adjusting his stocking cap with a small, gloved hand, he made his way through the fluffy snow toward the sheltered picnic benches along the fence. 

“Brian! Come to join us today?” 

Blinking through the snow, Brian smiled at Miss April’s voice. “Yes.” He reached the shelter and was glad to be able to see properly again. On the bench sat Miss April with two other students who often chose to sit on the sidelines––Sue and Dave. 

Dave patted the open bench next to him eagerly, flashing an inviting smile. Brian took the spot gratefully, wriggling onto the seat until he felt comfortable.

“Sue was just recounting her family’s holiday to London. Have you been, Brian?”

Nodding enthusiastically, Brian situated his lunchbox on his lap. “We go there on holiday sometimes, too.”

“That’s wonderful! I haven’t been out of Hampton before.” This surprised him––she was an adult, didn’t all adults travel?

“Really??” Dave exclaimed, kicking out a leg and shaking the bench with his movements. “ _ My _ father says traveling is good for the soul.”

Her delicate laughter filled the air––Brian smiled. “Oh, I don’t doubt it––your father does sound like a wise man indeed. I suppose I’ve just been too busy with completing my teaching requirements.” Leaning her elbows on her knees, she rested her chin on her fist and turned to fix them with her soft gaze. “Where would you visit first, if you could visit absolutely  _ anywhere _ in the world?”

“America!” Sue’s outburst surprised Brian, who was attempting to extract a slice of meatloaf from his lunchbox. 

“ _ I’d _ visit Australia.” Dave sounded rather proud of himself for knowing of the continent’s existence.

“And what about you, Brian?”

Quickly swallowing to rid his mouth of the obstruction, the memory of the fascinating, ephemeral strokes of green light across the night sky on his television prompted his response. “I should like to go to Norway. Patrick Moore says it’s one of the best places to see the Northern Lights.”

“Fantastic. You know, sometimes I think I learn more from you Brian, than you learn from me!”

Icy wind nipped at his cheeks, but even that couldn’t temper the soft blush imbued upon them. 

 

***

 

“Tell me Bri, what did you learn at school today?”

“Here darling, have some potatoes, won’t you?”

Watching as his mother dolloped a handsome portion of mashed potatoes onto his plate, Brian mentally rewound his day, searching for a proper response for his father’s question. “Well, we worked on our arithmetic. Did you know that the multiples of nines all add up to be nine as well? Miss April says we don’t need to know that quite yet, but I discovered it today.”

Setting her fork down on her plate, Brian’s mother reached over to squeeze his shoulder. “You’ve always been keen on patterns, haven’t you Bri?”

Glancing shyly across the table, a sense of pride flooded Brian’s chest as he noticed his father nodding with approval.

“Oh, and we learned more about Isaac Newton today––he invented reflective telescopes, father! Just like the ones you’ve told me above.”

“Why yes, his invention paved the way for virtually all modern telescopes. You know, Brian, we ought to take a trip to Tottenham Court Road this weekend. Might be able to locate some parts to craft one ourselves.”

Beaming, Brian shoveled a celebratory spoonful of mash into his mouth and nodded happily.

“My, you sure are lucky to have such a wonderful teacher. It sounds as though she’s keeping you engaged and interested in your studies.” His mother tilted her head, a kind smile playing at her lips.

A grunt of agreement rumbled in his father’s throat.

“I do love Miss April, mother.”

 

***

 

What was he doing here? And why was Miss April talking to him? Frowning, Brian stalled near the doorway, lunchbox in hand. He had been waiting patiently for her to join the rest of them outside as she normally did, but her visitor seemed to be detaining her. They stood quite close to each other and spoke in hushed, warm tones, soft laughter punctuating their conversation intermittently. A flicker of annoyance graced Brian’s thoughts, but he shook his head as if to push them aside. Maybe she had something more important to do. He could just wait outside. 

The crisp, February breeze curled across the schoolyard, limp blades of grass springing to life for a fleeting moment before returning to their slumber. Stepping carefully around muddy pools, Brian meandered toward the benches where his friends were already beginning to eat.

“Dave, do you know who that man is? The one inside.”

Confused eyes blinked back at him. “No… Maybe it’s Miss April's father?”

“He’s too young to be her father!” Sue giggled beside them, spilling biscuit crumbs down the front of her dress.

“Maybe they’re friends,” Brian contemplated, more to himself than anything. Dave and Sue didn’t seem worried, so Brian resolved to enjoy his lunch and forget about it. 

But all too soon lunch hour was over, and Miss April didn’t appear. 


End file.
